Fishing rods are typically made in two segments connected by ferrules. This allows the pole to be broken down into the smaller segments for easier storage and transportation when not in use.
A problem with this method of storage is the need to remove the line and tackle from the pole before separating the segments. Failure to do so results in severe entanglement of the line and tackle with the separated segments. Because substantial time is required to detach the tackle and reel in the line before disconnecting, or to thread the line and attach the tackle after connecting the segments, the need for a device to store these segments without derigging the pole exists.
Several approaches have been suggested in the past to address this and other issues regarding fishing rod storage. Some inventors have disclosed hinged or otherwise collapsible rods, allowing the rod to have a shorter length for transportation or storage without the concerns created by separate segments. Because of the hinging or collapsing mechanisms involved, such rods are more difficult and more expensive to manufacture. Furthermore, the presence of hinges along the length of the rod is likely to result in a less firm and secure connection than the ferrules typically provided in multi-segment fishing rods. This, in turn, impair the performance of the rod and reduces the enjoyment of the user.
other references have suggested the use of clips to interconnect the ferrule ends of the rod segments. These clips typically include a pair of parallel bores which simultaneously receive both ferrule ends of the fishing rod segments. Because the bores must be specifically sized according to the diameter of the fishing rod segments, use of a particular clip is limited to a particular rod. The beading present along the length of some rods may also limit the ability of such clips to engage any rod for which it is not specifically designed. Moreover, because the clips constitute separate individual components which must be removed from the end of the ferrules during reassembly of the fishing rod segments and during use of the fishing rod, these clips require separate storage and are often misplaced and lost.
Furthermore, neither hinged rods nor previous connecting clips address the problem of some ends of the rod segments being free. The clips previously disclosed hold only one end of each segment in position, allowing substantial movement of the opposite ends. This creates the danger of entangling the line or causing damage to the rod itself.